Divine Insanity
Note: this is an alternate ending Written by Ananasz, luwl, donotsteal. ---- This story begins in 2021. Mind is 20 years old and has managed to leave her abusive home on her own efforts. She has a room in the city nearby. An important change is that she never met Dennim and spent her childhood alone. This story also acknowledges the existence of gods, who have a seperate world with their own rules, and their visit to Earth will introduce Mind and Dennim to each other. The gods have been stuck in a long argument on how to protect their own kind from dying; as new gods are born every time a person with no knowledge of one prays, but die again when all who follow this god go extinct or stop believing. This happens often, and the continuous loss of loved ones causes alot of grief within the divine community. They plan to make themselves public to the world in order to protect each other's existence, even though many gods aren't keen on the idea and look down on the less superior organisms, despite being dependant on them. After their meeting has reached a conclusion, humanity gets a global announcement that the residents of heaven want to mingle with them and offer their powers in exchange for a "sacrifice" and their eternal devotion to them. The sacrifice is considered payment for entering the religion, and can vary from being a limb, ability to do or feel something, ability to gain something, or a highly regarded personal belonging. While people are surprised by the reveal of multiple gods existing, soon they are more concerned over what gifts they'll grant them. Events are planned at different cities, causing giant masses to meet there and create a bit of disruption for those not interested and trying to continue their daily routine. One day the city of Verstand is chosen, and in the clusters of beautifully dressed and pleasantly-looking gods descending, there is one god who stands out. A god that goes by the name of "Dennim" has noticeably white skin, red eyes, fangs and is completely dressed in black. His untrustworthy appearance compared to his fellow divine beings makes people uneager to sell a part of themselves in exchange for his services, and he is mostly avoided. Dennim is assumed to be a devil, or at least a mischievous god, and only manages to attract a handful of goth teenagers and criminally inclined people. Nevertheless, Dennim appears not concerned and seems to have a different reason for visiting Earth. Upon arriving, he shows a noteworthy amount of interest in one single woman trying to get home through the busy streets, and keeps following her around, trying to sell himself. She too doesn't trust his intentions and rejects him, but Dennim shows little respect for her wishes. One of Dennim's colleagues notices his stalker attitude, and urges him to stop bothering those who are uninterested. He says he should accept the odd fangroup waiting for his approval and not waste precious time for his own sake, but Dennim insists they're dishonest and doesn't want them. Just like that, he walks away from the meddling god and continues trying to convince the girl he is an unloved underdog and hopes to guilt her into joining him. But she's not persuaded by the supposed urgency of his situation, and when the other god notices her growing discomfort, he starts a discussion with Dennim over his behaviour. The woman takes the opportunity to scurry away, while the god tries to get an explanation for Dennim's unhealthy obsession for a random female. Dennim reveals how she's the one who originally gave him life and argues it makes sense for him to have her "in his team". After this explanation, the god notices how Dennim looks similar to the woman he is chasing, and guesses he copied her physical attributes for his earthly appearance. Shocked by this revelation, he asks what he wants to achieve by trying to flatter her like this, but Dennim claims he's always looked this way and isn't pretending to be something else. But the god responds skeptical and feels unsure about what to think of Dennim's urge to please a mere human. As it's abnormal for gods to flatter and grovel for mortal humans or animals, even when receiving something valuable in return, the god starts pondering Dennim's worth. As he assumes his young age to be the cause of his naivety and ignorance in this department, he explains this to him with a patronizing tone, opposed to devaluing him as a deity. But the carefree Dennim pays little attention to his lecturer, whereafter the spiteful god rewards his attitude by telling his subject of interest he's known to be a troublemaker and she should be cautious. Even so, Dennim doesn't care for the blatant boycott and picks up where he left off by chasing her around the plaza with sad stories and generous offers. She responds not to be concerned by his negative status, but simply doesn't need any powers and doesn't want to worship any gods. Without having much else left to bribe her with, he starts putting emphasis on requiring no sacrifice from her and pronounces himself her servant if she accepts him. The woman feels urged to ask him why he needs her this badly, and Dennim answers that she called him into existence years ago and he is grateful for it. He clarifies she performed a heartfelt prayer when she was young, and that her call for help spawned him. The woman says he came too late and she managed to become happy without his help. He defends himself by explaining that spawned gods are still born an infant, and he wasn't able to do anything while in his childhood years. She shows understanding for the excuse, but persists that she doesn't need divine guidance and would rather not be confronted with that which will remind her of her past; insinuating Dennim. She tries to clumsily exit the conversation, but the many crowds and stuck traffic make it hard for her to move. Dennim uses the situation by playfully launching innocent people and vehicles into the air "as to save her from getting hit", forcing her to acknowledge him again. After he catapults a car with young children inside across the other side of the city, and shows no signs of teleporting them back to safety until she officially accepts him, she agrees to join his religion for their sake. Dennim says to appreciate her help to better himself; a comment that awakens a tired moan from the woman's mouth. As they shake hands on their "partnership", Dennim adds that his original offer still stands and she doesn't have to give up anything in order to make use of his services. She's surprised by his level of generosity, but isn't able to get an explanation for why he hadn't used the opportunity to extort her. While she still doesn't understand his intentions with her, she thanks him and suggests he should go look for more followers, since she doesn't need anything from him at the moment. Dennim says not to need more followers and is content with her. She asks him if one follower will provide a god enough strength to sustain his stay on Earth, let alone his existence, to which he responds not to need much, as he's the most powerful god heaven has to offer. She becomes intrigued by this bold claim and wishes for an example that proves this. On her request, Dennim creates an "intimidating, but safe rainstorm" that engulfs the city, leaving the residents wet and annoyed by the sudden weather change as the result of a bragging game. The god from earlier erases the spawned clouds in an impressive performance, and wins more followers in response, but feels it's his righteous duty to find the caster as well. The woman feels a bit embarrassed over her wish and asks Dennim to at least dry everyone up. This act allows for the god to see where the caster is located, and he quickly meets up with Dennim to lecture him once again. But his lack of patience for Dennim's behaviour and his replies causes him to lose his once calm composure, and he loudly demands respect because of his age and popularity in contrast to his. Dennim repeats his claim of being the most powerful deity, after which the god suggests they should have a little match. The woman becomes worried by having awakened this strife, but Dennim reassures her it won't be a fight. The two gods head back to the main plaza and the challenger asks Dennim for first round suggestions. Dennim wastes no time and reveals to posses the ability to create life, to which the god responds with surprise. He comments that only the old God was able to do this and thinks it's a bluff, despite feeling a bit nervous by his claim. Dennim quickly summons an odd-looking human in front of them and dubs himself the victor; but the man's unusual appearance is easy to spot and the god argues he's just duplicated himself. When Dennim is asked to create more people, of normal appearance, the god notices his hesitance, whereafter he starts patting himself on the back for doubting his abilities. Dennim shrugs off the god's ego trip and asks to see his best attempt, but the god admits he can't create life, fake or otherwise, and suggests they should think of a different challenge altogether. Dennim comments that it's a bit unfair to discard his obvious victory like that, but some other deities show up and respond insulted by the young god's attempt to mimic the dead Father, and show their support for Dennim's challenger. Because of this, the previously oblivious crowd surrounding them starts to think it's a battle between the gods and an actual devil, and show their support for the challenger as well. The young woman becomes angry by the unfair treatment towards Dennim and starts arguing for him. She says his attempt at creating life, something that is considered impossible to do, was still the best attempt made, but her defense is drowned out by the voices of the other gods and the spectators. Even so, Dennim noticed her support and decides to call it quits. He announces his pompous challenger to be the winner, leaving everyone in confused silence. The god doesn't follow what has just happened, but when the crowd starts cheering for "the devil's defeat", he decides to accept his sudden victory. Dennim returns to his lonesome follower, and she asks him why he ended the challenge like that. Dennim responds that he knew he couldn't beat him. The woman doesn't believe his excuse, but lets it slide. In the background, the other gods are heard promoting themselves again, but she notices they changed up their dialogue. Dennim, who is suddenly dubbed "the devil" by them, is now used as a scapegoat for everything that goes wrong in the world, and the gods promise to keep their followers safe from his evil magic. People become urged to pick out the god with the biggest promises, and even those who were previously uninterested suddenly want to sign up to someone. The woman feels insulted for Dennim, but notices he shows little concern for the spreading falsehoods about him. As he appears to not even hear his colleagues' sale tactics, she decides to not create a problem out of it and prepares her travel back home. But suddenly she notices she's no longer holding her grocery bag and becomes alarmed. Dennim asks if there was anything important inside, but after thinking it over for a while, she assures him it was just a few items she can do a day without. She tells him goodbye and walks off. But Dennim immediately joins her on her journey and the woman feels urged to ask her new divine stalker if there's nothing else that needs his priority. He responds he got nothing better to do and thinks it would be proper if his follower gave him a tour through her house. She has a different opinion about what's considered proper, but tries to hide her nervousness and instead asks him if he didn't already know what her house looked like. He confirms that as a god, he's been able to watch her every move, but still desires to see it up close. He doesn't bother to offer any real arguments after that, but the woman is more concerned with the fact he has likely watched her every move. When she understands he's coming along either way, she takes the defeat and stops fighting against it. She sighs, and offers to make Dennim tea in order to present her persistent master an example of an actual reason to follow her. He doesn't understand the hint and just gladly accepts. He then shares with her his name, whereafter the woman reveals hers to be "Mind". The ever-increasing crowds make it hard for them to move, and Dennim decides to speed up the story by teleporting the both of them right into Mind's apartment. She wonders why he needed to come along with her if he could position himself inside her home whenever he wanted, and see the house for himself, but she figures he did not just come to look at her walls. Nevertheless, Mind presents herself as a hospitable host and starts giving him a tour through her rather small and empty home. Barely a minute later, Dennim understands that despite Mind's contentedness, she is not doing well and has little money to feed herself, explaining her initial panic when she lost her grocery bag. The cupboards in her compact kitchen are mostly empty and the sheets on her bed have a few holes in them. The walls have greyish white wallpaper, showing they have not aged well, and there are only 3 sets of clothing hanging on the wall in the square that is her bathroom. Dennim wastes no time to insult her home and expresses his disappointment for not getting a meal. Mind apologizes, but says she at least has the tea she promised him. Dennim sits down at a small light-blue camping table located at the window in de kitchen, and watches her dip one of the few teabags left in the boiled water. Despite already knowing the answer, he asks her if they shouldn't go back out and get more groceries. Mind expresses her uneagerness to go outside, now that the gods are causing a ruckus in the city. She ensures him she'll buy food next week, as she'll expect her pay by then. Dennim comments on the pay probably being as good as the tea, to which she responds it's hard to get a well-paid job when you've got no life experience or followed any career studies. She adds her father did not intend for her to have a job or leave the house. Dennim says to know. After they've shared a few words at the table, Dennim moves to the next room and lets himself drop on her bed. He boldly announces to make her home his base and asks if she's fine if he were to rest for a bit. Mind is perplexed and shows her disapproval for his decision. Dennim tries to play on her heartstrings by saying he's a stranger on Earth and homeless, whereafter she explains she doesn't have the finances to feed two people, even though it's made obvious that Dennim does not need food. He reminds her that he is a god and she can wish for anything, but Mind replies that she wants to work for her success and doesn't like to cheat. He disagrees with her stance and argues that there's not even a game being played. He thinks she should keep herself well fed at the most, and Mind feels that's not an unfair point. Just like that, Dennim summons food and drink into her once empty cupboards, and the sound of products falling into place draw Mind back into the kitchen. She's in awe when she sees her cupboards completely filled with things she's never even tried before, and when Dennim picks up on her excitement, he summons more useful groceries around the house and starts applying changes to the rooms. When Mind turns her excitement away from the cupboards, she sees her kitchen has slightly grown in size and there are more appliances. When she enters the bedroom where Dennim is still lying, she sees it too has been decorated with furniture and has been overall improved with a theme of blue. When she sees her bathroom has also gotten a makeover, she turns to Dennim and argues he shouldn't have taken away her strife. He is intrigued by her passive disapproval of his efforts and asks why she "likes to suffer". She answers not to, but doesn't clarify her reason of wanting him to undo his gift to her. Dennim repeats his incomprehension for her deviation of receiving help from others, whereafter Mind gives in and explains she's felt useless her entire life. Her dependency on others had always defined her, and after she managed to leave her parental home on her own efforts, she felt it was the right time to keep working for her own happiness and not take shortcuts. Dennim thinks it's not realistic for people to never accept help and reassures her everyone's been an exploiter at least once in their life. Mind stands her ground and argues that it makes her feel better, but Dennim shows not to care much about it and refuses to revert his magic. This urges Mind to again ask why he cares about helping her, as she finds his original reason not to suffice, considering the other gods don't appear to show this much interest in those they thank their existence to. She adds that since she considers herself happy, his assistance is unnecessary. Dennim thinks for a moment, and then reveals to her that in order for a god to stay alive at all, the people who spawned it have to keep believing in it non-stop. The moment that no longer happens, the god disappears immediately. Mind doesn't understand what he's trying to say with this, thus he clarifies it for her; He reminds her that she gave birth to him and nobody else worshipped him during the entirety of his life. While Mind has said not to need his help and developed an almost atheistic view on gods early in her life, Dennim explains he still managed to become 20 years old and meet up with her on Earth. He repeats that the only way a god is able to grow up and stay alive is if a human keeps believing, no exceptions. Mind assures him she's never begged to "anyone" after that one time, and never thought any god to be real, but he responds that her mind apparently still hoped for someone to come and she's always unconsciously thanked him whenever someone good did happen in her life. Mind tries to think of what he means by that, and then remembers she indeed never assumed the bits of luck she had to be really hers. Dennim recognizes that his extended existence and high supernatural strength is thanks to her devotion, thus found moral objection in having received her thanks and praise for all the things he had not done, explaining why he approached her. Mind clarifies that she didn't know she was devoted to him at all or that it qualified as worshipping a god, but he argues it doesn't change the fact he is alive. Even so, Mind persists he never owed her anything and shouldn't feel guilty for the thoughts she had in her head, just because she didn't believe in herself enough. Dennim replies that it wouldn't have kept him up at night, normally speaking, but he was quick to grow fond of her and considered her his friend. Because she took good care of him as a deity, he wants her to make as much use of him as possible. Mind understands his reasons and decides to soothe her Lord. She allows him to stay for as long he has no home, purposely ignoring the fact he can likely summon one for himself, and promises to ask for help when she needs it. Dennim appears pleased, but doesn't say anything and seems focused on the wall to his left side. Mind decides to head back to the kitchen and asks him if he wants more tea before potentially falling asleep during his break, but her question is cut short by a god appearing out of the wall like a ghost, shouting for Dennim. Mind shrieks and pulls out a cutlery drawer as she trips and falls to the ground. The noise is ignored by the rest of the room and the god urges the relaxing pale figure to get back outside and stage a scene with the others. Dennim just stares at him and utters no response, so the god continues that his given role as the devil is a hit with the humans and they'd like his help to create more fear; thus more followers. The media attention around the gods' arrival has expanded tremendously, and many news outlets are waiting outside to get a glimpse of the confirmed devil haunting the city. But Dennim still doesn't respond, and instead heads over to the kitchen to get himself the tea Mind was unable to deliver. The god keeps following him with his request and shows no signs of leaving, which motivates Mind to lift herself up from the floor and tell him to leave Dennim alone. She expresses her disagreement with the gods' decision to throw Dennim under the bus, but her defense is not appreciated by the god and he suggests her to silence herself. Mind is surprised by his hostile response and turns quiet. Slightly insulted, she decides to let the two of them handle the conversation themselves. Dennim then says he can't come, as he was just about to have some hot water; an excuse not taken seriously. As the conversation is quick to keep looping itself, Mind again feels it's her place to tell the god to leave him be. A snarl appears on the god's face and he repeats that it's none of her business, but this time Mind continues to ask what Dennim will receive in return for destroying his image in favour of everyone else. The god becomes upset with her and informs her that she, as a mere human, has no business getting involved with a conversation between two gods, one of them being her own Lord. Mind is shocked by these discriminatory words, but won't silence herself for the intimidating figure. The god becomes annoyed by the sound of her voice and loses his temper. He throws a monkey slur at her and his body seems to turn into her direction with the intention to commit violence. Mind takes a step back in response to the sudden escalation. Before the god can do anything more, though, Dennim swiftly grabs him by his collar and launches him out of the kitchen window, leaving behind a gaping hole. Mind scolds Dennim for having destroyed her wall, but he only comments on being surprised that the god didn't ghost through the window, like how he came in. Mind wonders if this ordeal will cause them trouble later on, but he ensures her things will be fine. He summons back the bricks into the wall and restores her window. She decides to trust him on this and begins to show her dislike for the rude god who was just catapulted to the other side of the city. Dennim replies that all gods have a natural disdain for all earthly lifeforms and rather not be involved with them, but that some are better at hiding it than others. Mind asks if he has that disdain as well, and he confirms it to be so. She asks if that includes her and he replies he's only ever adored her, which is why the gods that are acquainted with him don't like him either. Mind thinks that to be unfair, but he explains that it's simply normal for gods to look down on others. Considering he's one himself, he recognizes he's a freak. Mind tries to console him and says it's not wrong to respect others, despite of what they are, but he assures her he needs no consolation and never cared much for the opinions or approval of others. He claims only to need hers, and Mind connects that statement with the fact his life is dependant on her as his only follower. Category:Fanon Category:Fanfiction